Clutch mechanism.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

J. S. DUNCAN.

OLUTGH MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APB.27,1903.

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Patented July t, 19(15.

l hirr tiricnt (3 it. til "l" t; M llttl E (1"; it It lltl ll$ Wl t t'tliiEUJCFIDJt'Jt'IUIN forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,925, dated. July t, 1905. Original application filed Deeemherl7,1902, Serial No 135,656. Divided and this application filed April 27, 1903. Serial No. L518.

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lite it known that l, glosnru c5. DUNCAN, a citizen ol the United ritates, residing at Chicago, in the county of (look and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful linprovmnents in Clutch ltlimhanism, ol which the l'ollowing is a specilication.

This application is a division of my application, rierial No. 135,656, liled December 17, 1909;, for a machine for making printingplates.

illhe object of the invention is to lessen the noise and shock incidental to the operation of clutches by providing an improved Form 0] clutch constructed and arranged to operate in or about the manner herein shown and described.

in the accompanying drawings l have illustrated one term in which the invention may be embi'idied.

iihti'erring to the drawings, Figure l is aside elevation. l ig. 2 is a longiti'ldinal sectional view. Fig. 3 a sectional view on the line 3 3 ol' .liig 2 and showing also one means for operating the clutch. l ig. 4c is a sectional view on the line 41: 4; ol l ig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the shoe 71.

l n the drawings like numerals oi reference designate correspomling parts in the several ligures, and referring thereto one clutch mem ber is mounted on the power-shaft 351. and provided with a locking-bolt 66, which is constantly under the tension of a spring ('37, tending to thrust it forward in to engagement with one ol' the pins (")8 on the other clutch memher (it), which carries the lrelt-wheel and is loose on the power-shalt. This lockingbolt is witlulrawn from engagement with the pin (38 and held in retracted position by means ol a shoe 71., which is reduced and pointed at its lorward end, liig. 5, and adapted to engage the otlset 74L at the rear end 01 the locking-bolt as the clutch member revolves to withdraw the bolt. Various means may be employed for operating the retracting-shoe, and .l have mounted this shoe on a spring-stem 72, guided in fixed parts 73 and normally held up in engagement with the bolt (-36 to hold it in retracted position, Fig. 2, by means of a trip-rod 75, which is operated in any suitable manner and is normally held by a spring 76 in engagement with the lower end ol the stem 72 and supporting the same, Fig. 3. A. collar 77 is adjustably arrai'iged on the stem 72 and faced with rubber to limit the downward movement of the stem, which is etlectedv by the spring '78 when the trip-rod is released from engagement with the stem.

My improved clutch may be used on machines which operate intermittently or For an indefinite period; but in the drawings l have chosen to show a clutch adapted to operate intermittently. 'l,o release the clutch after one complete revolution ol? the shalt, l pro vide a pick-up plate 79, having a cam'lace 80 on the clutch member ($5 to engage the shoe and raise it from its lowered position intoengagemenl. with the oll'set end ol the kickingbolt, and the construction is such that the shaft will be auton'iatically brought to rest alter each complete revolution.

'llo lessen the shock which generally occurs when a clutch is thrown, ll provide the clutch member ('35 with a lateral segmental extension 81, through which the locking-bolt passes, and which is arranged in an opening provided for it in a block 82, fastened to the powersha'ft by a bolt 82' or in some other suitable manner. Between the sides ol the extension 81. and the end walls of the opening in the block i. provide packing 83 83, so that when the locking-bolt is engaged with a pin on the clutch member 69 the clutch mci'nber (353 will be locked on the power-shalt through the medium of the block 82, and the packing 83 will serve to lessen the shock and noise when the parts are so el'lgaged. l also provide a resilient ljinliier in the connection between the beltavhccl and its clutch member (it) to further assist in lessening the shock when the two members are engaged, Fig. 1. This bultl'cr comprises a block of rubber 84, car ried on a spindle 85, which has its lower end loosely guided in an arm 86, rigid with the clutch member 69, and its upper end fastened to the rim oi the pulley at 87. A stop 88 of some approved character, which may be a nut and a am-nut, as shown, is provided on the spindle between the rubber block and the end thereof connected with the belt-wheel. 'lhe belt-wheel and its clutch member 69 will be constantly revolved, and when thetwo clutch members are engaged the rubber block, which is interposed between the clutch member 69 and the belt-wheel, will greatly reduce the shock on the machine and lessen the noise.

My improved clutch mechanism is simple in construction, and is especially useful in connection with intermittently-operated machines to prevent not only the noise but also the Wear and tear due to successive shocks occasioned by throwing the clutch.

WVithout limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, what 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a power-shaft and a belt-wheel loosely mounted thereon, a clutch member mounted on said shaft, another clutch member traveling with the belt-wheel, abloclc rigidly mounted on the shaft between the two clutch members, a locking-bolt carried by one member and passing through the block to engage the other member, and a buii'erarranged between said locking-bolt and the block.

2. The combination of a power-shaft and a belt-wheel loosely mounted thereon, a clutch member mounted on said shaft, anothereluteh member traveling with the belt-wheel, a block rigidly mounted on the shaft between the two clutch members, one of said members having a hollow extension projecting through said block, a locking-bolt carried by one member and passing through said extension to engage the other member, and a bufi er located between the blocl: and each end of said exten- JOSEPH S. DUNCAN.

Vitn esses:

WVM. O. BELT, HELEN L. PECK. 

